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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
16,492 global ratings
5 star
60%
4 star
24%
3 star
10%
2 star
4%
1 star
3%
Past Tense

Past Tense

byLee Child
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Top positive review

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Julie Pallone
5.0 out of 5 starsBad Reviews ? Why on earth ?
Reviewed in Australia on 11 February 2019
Can’t understand why this book is getting bad reviews from readers. I was excited to see it in a bookstore and immediately downloaded it to my kindle when I got home. Started reading it on a plane trip and couldn’t put it down. I’m my opinion one of the best Jack Reacher novels by far. I loved that there were 2 aspects to the story which coincided in the end. Always waiting to see what was in that damn suitcase ! Don’t retire Jack Reacher, he’s a larger than life hero and a joy to read about. Have read every one of Lee Childs books and can honestly say I’ve never ever been disappointed. Brilliant author with a brilliant hero.
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2 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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Dahrose
TOP 100 REVIEWER
2.0 out of 5 starsPlodder
Reviewed in Australia on 15 January 2021
This book very much underwhelmed me. The whole, discovering his dad's place of birth was okay, but it very quickly became both a boring plot point and a convoluted one at that. Worse, every character in this town spoke the same way - the town lawyer, the council lady, the police - their thoughts and reactions were singular, which was unbelievable.
Meantime we keep switching to the couple at the motel - and boy, was that a drawn out, nothing happens until the final three chapters part of the story.

The author also failed to tie up all the plot points - wasn't there two separate lots of bad guys coming for reacher? what happen to the second lot.

Boring, long winded with little pay off - and even the mystery about his dad plot point was kind of just dropped by the author as seemingly inconsequential as Reacher once more walks off into the sunset.
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One person found this helpful

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From Australia

Dahrose
TOP 100 REVIEWER
2.0 out of 5 stars Plodder
Reviewed in Australia on 15 January 2021
Verified Purchase
This book very much underwhelmed me. The whole, discovering his dad's place of birth was okay, but it very quickly became both a boring plot point and a convoluted one at that. Worse, every character in this town spoke the same way - the town lawyer, the council lady, the police - their thoughts and reactions were singular, which was unbelievable.
Meantime we keep switching to the couple at the motel - and boy, was that a drawn out, nothing happens until the final three chapters part of the story.

The author also failed to tie up all the plot points - wasn't there two separate lots of bad guys coming for reacher? what happen to the second lot.

Boring, long winded with little pay off - and even the mystery about his dad plot point was kind of just dropped by the author as seemingly inconsequential as Reacher once more walks off into the sunset.
One person found this helpful
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Peter Doyle
2.0 out of 5 stars Yes it was
Reviewed in Australia on 21 November 2018
Verified Purchase
Look, who doesn't like Jack Reacher? The problem is every story is the same. He beats up people, foils some extraordinary sinister plot and gives tons of money to some needy victims. This book is perfunctory, all the I's are dotted etc. But is was boring, predictable and uninvolved. Reacher would have punched the book in the teeth. The early books kept you guessing, had tension. Maybe, just maybe Jack needs to retire. Or the author needs to get excited again. It's like the movies starring Tom Cruise as Reacher. It just doesn't work.
4 people found this helpful
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Peter Stokes
1.0 out of 5 stars Failed to Grab Me
Reviewed in Australia on 15 November 2018
Verified Purchase
I am a fan of the Jack Reacher books and was bitterly disappointed with Past Tense. These books usually grab you within the first 10 pages. I stuck with this book for 160 pages (40%) but couldn't wait any longer to develop some interest in the story. Other reviewers suggest the book gets interesting at about the 75% mark, but I am not willing to invest in reading another 140 pages to get to the good stuff, so I've given up! I laid out my cash for this one based on the Lee Child rep, but in future I will wait to see how his books review before spending my money. Sounds like a case of classic "writer's block" to me. Don't waste your money on this one - its nowhere near his usual standard.
8 people found this helpful
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Julie Pallone
5.0 out of 5 stars Bad Reviews ? Why on earth ?
Reviewed in Australia on 11 February 2019
Verified Purchase
Can’t understand why this book is getting bad reviews from readers. I was excited to see it in a bookstore and immediately downloaded it to my kindle when I got home. Started reading it on a plane trip and couldn’t put it down. I’m my opinion one of the best Jack Reacher novels by far. I loved that there were 2 aspects to the story which coincided in the end. Always waiting to see what was in that damn suitcase ! Don’t retire Jack Reacher, he’s a larger than life hero and a joy to read about. Have read every one of Lee Childs books and can honestly say I’ve never ever been disappointed. Brilliant author with a brilliant hero.
2 people found this helpful
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Jo
TOP 500 REVIEWER
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great Jack Reacher book
Reviewed in Australia on 6 November 2018
Verified Purchase
4 1/2 Stars
My personal rating system

1 Star Couldn't finish the book
2 Stars Didn't really like the book, but was interested enough in the story to finish (Skipping great chunks)
3 Stars The book was okay, finished it and will consider reading more from the author
4 Stars Really enjoyed the book, will check out others by this author
4 1/2 Stars Loved the book, will immediately check out others by author, if asked will recommend book
5 Stars LOVED the book, will immediately check out all others by author, will pre-emptively recommend book to ALL my book friends

I loved it and expect I'll be rereading it again in the future. This book is a solid 4 and a half stars which I've bumped up to five as Amazon doesn't do half stars.
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John
3.0 out of 5 stars Either the author is slipping or the character has waned
Reviewed in Australia on 16 August 2019
Verified Purchase
I'm sorry, but I just found this storyline a little bizarre. The search for his relative's roots was pretty wishy washy in the end and the link to the set up couple took so long to come I thought I was reading two different books. The heavies who come to take out Reacher were dealt with in one chapter when I thought they were to be the basis of the story. I've read all the Reacher books but it is becoming a stretch.
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Jan
4.0 out of 5 stars Spellbinding, old fashioned Jack Reacher
Reviewed in Australia on 3 January 2020
Verified Purchase
This book did not disappoint in its surreal and improbable settings and circumstances, almost a Lee Child trademark. The narrative and plots are a bit long on the tooth before coming to the point; nevertheless I found the story spellbinding, easy to read and difficult to put down. Jack was up to his trademark tricks, slapping the baddies around who lost of course whilst the goodies excelled like in a modern Western.
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Shane 1959
2.0 out of 5 stars Not your best work Mr. Child!
Reviewed in Australia on 3 December 2018
Verified Purchase
After waiting so long for your latest novel (and having read all of the Jack Reacher books so far) I must say "Past Tense" was a very disappointing read.
It is hard to identify precisely what it was that I didn't like, all of the introspection of the 2 other main characters (apart from JR) was annoying. JR was also too busy self analysing - the whole book just didn't work for me. I was almost angry when I was finished with it.
Had it been a Hard Cover I would have tossed it in the bin (heresy to me, I have kept all of my books over the last 40 years) - I wouldn't have bothered lending it to anyone (unlike all of my other Lee Child books) but as it was on my Kindle I just deleted it.
So sad :(
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Arthur Hanlon
4.0 out of 5 stars We learn more -- or do we?
Reviewed in Australia on 18 November 2020
Verified Purchase
Reacher is Reacher and we can predict most of the outcomes of most of his adventures. This one is more personal as he seeks information about his father's upbringing in a small New England town. Interwoven with this thread is a suspense-filled story of a young couple whose car breaks down and they come to stay in a remote motel. What could go wrong? And when it does, who will rescue them?
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R. Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars Another masterpiece.
Reviewed in Australia on 10 November 2018
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Lee Child writes like no other author. Many would dismiss his books as trash catering to lovers of guns and violence. But the humanity of his protagenist, the quirkiness of life and the poignancy of the stories create emotionally involving tomes.This one is one of his best, involving several plots all beautifully resolved.
2 people found this helpful
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